Section 5
Gastro-Intestinal

ENLARGED STOMACH (J.H. Kellogg, M.D., Formulas)

DIETARY FACTORS—Aseptic diet; avoid overeating, frequent eating, and gas-forming foods. Also drink large quantities at once. Give very simple dry dietary of well-cooked cereals or a liquid diet, such as buttermilk, purees, or gruels prepared from nut creams, etc.

ACHLORHYDRIA (Insufficient stomach acid)

SYMPTOMS—Burping, belching, and bloating.

CAUSES—The stomach begins losing its ability to produce hydrochloric acid (HCl) at the age of 35. Of people over the age of 50, 75% do not produce HCl. Yet, without it, they cannot properly digest protein foods.

When the stomach does not have enough HCl, intestinal bacteria and yeast (candida albicans) are able to enter it and ferment high carbohydrate foods (juice, fruit, breads, etc.).

Continued low HCl production results in B₁₂, calcium, and protein deficiencies. New food allergies can begin, because large fragments of food pass through the gastro-intestinal tract undigested.

TREATMENT—

• Take lemon juice, diluted with water (or totally undiluted) at the beginning of each meal.

• Take English bitters (gentiana lutea) before each meal. These are bitter herbs which have helped people's digestion for hundreds of years, in Europe and America.

• Take betaine HCl supplementation (75-250 mg) 15 minutes before each meal.

• Do not take antacids; they neutralize stomach acids and make the problem worse. In addition, many of them contain aluminum and other harmful ingredients. One of these is calcium carbonate, which will cause the stomach to produce even more HCl than before. Magnesium compounds lead to diarrhea, and sodium bicarbonate can result in gas and bloating.

—Also see "Hydrochloric Acid Problems."

ENCOURAGEMENT—You need not go to the end of the earth for wisdom and help. God can help you just where you are. Give Him your life and all you are or hope to be. As you trust and obey, He alone can keep you kind and pure.

HYDROCHLORIC ACID PROBLEMS (J.H. Kellogg, M.D., Formulas)

HYDROCHLORIC ACID, EXCESS —

DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS—Avoid irritating food sustenances—mustard, pepper, spices, condiments of all sorts, all kinds of flesh foods, excess of proteins, hot foods, mushes, farinaceous and sweet desserts, and frequent meals.

INCREASE GENERAL VITAL RESISTANCE—Graduated Tonic Frictions, twice daily.

COMBAT IRRITATION OF GASTRIC GLANDS, OR HYPERSECRETION—Revulsive Compress twice daily, an hour before meals; continuous Heating Compress without plastic covering during the interval between. Avoid Cold Douche over stomach and spine opposite the stomach, and also Prolonged Cold Baths. Hot Douche or Fomentation over stomach and spine opposite the stomach, 3-4 times daily. Hot immersion Bath, at l05⁰F., for 15 minutes or Radiant Heat Bath for 10 minutes, half an hour before dinner. Follow by Cold Mitten Friction. Sip half a glass of hot water, a half hour before eating.

COMBAT TOXEMIA—Sweating procedures, Radiant Heat Bath, Sweating Wet Sheet Pack, Steam Bath, Prolonged Neutral Bath. Follow hot baths by short cold applications, such as a Wet Sheet Rub, Cold Towel Rub, Cold Shower, Spray Douche; Water drinking; Enema daily for a week or two, at 70⁰ F., and injecting a second portion to be retained.

FLATULENCE OF STOMACH AND BOWELS—Cold Compress over abdomen, changed every 4 hours; Cold Enema, following Fomentation for 15 minutes, twice a day.

PAINFUL DIGESTION—Hot Fomentation an hour after eating, for 15 minutes, followed by Heating Compress to be worn until next meal.

GASTRIC IRRITATION WITH VOMITING AFTER EATING—Hot and Cold Compress over stomach or hot and cold Trunk Pack applied half an hour before eating, and continued for 2 hours.

CONTRAINDICATIONS—Avoid Cold Douche over stomach, Cold Shower, and prolonged cold baths of all kinds.

HYDROCHLORIC ACID, INADEQUATE —

INCREASE GENERAL VITAL RESISTANCE—Graduated tonic hydrotherapy treatment (Tonic Frictions), twice daily; out-of-door life; swimming.

INCREASE ACTIVITY OF GASTRIC GLANDS—Cold fan Douche over Stomach, Cold percussion Douche to Dorsal spine, general Cold Douche or other cold procedure, Hot Abdominal Pack. Drink a third of a glass of cold water, half an hour before eating.

INCREASE MOTILITY—Cold Gastric Douche, 3 hours after meals; small Cold Enema, retained, 3-4 hours after eating; and abdominal massage.

INDIGESTION, BILIOUSNESS—Hydrochloric acid being absent, flesh foods must be withheld. Aseptic diet; avoid fried foods, rich gravies and animal fats, which lessen the secretion of HCl (hydrochloric acid). Also avoid cane sugar and concentrated sweets. Apply hot applications over the stomach, a hour after eating.

LOSS OF APPETITE—Ice Bag over the stomach, half an hour before each meal; Cold Mitten Friction before breakfast, repeat before dinner if necessary; small Cold Enema or Cold Colonic before breakfast.

—Also see "Achlorhydria."

STOMACH INFLAMMATION (Gastric Catarrh) (J.H. Kellogg, M.D., Formulas)

REST—Withhold food if necessary, giving food and water by enema for several days.

COMBAT LOCAL INFLAMMATION—Fomentation for 15 minutes over stomach and bowels, every 2 hours. During the intervals between, apply Heating Compress at 60⁰ F., changing every 30 minutes. Hot Foot Bath; Hot Leg Pack.

VOMITING—Ice Bag to epigastrium; Hot and Cold Compress over stomach; Hot and Cold Trunk Pack; ice to spine opposite the stomach.

PAIN—Revulsive Compress to area of pain, 10 minutes every hour. Heating Compress during interval between.

FEVER—Hot Blanket Pack, 20 minutes, followed by Cold Half Pack; Prolonged Neutral Bath; Cooling Wet Sheet Pack, following a Fomentation over stomach.

CONTRAINDICATIONS—Avoid Cold Full Baths and general Cold Douche.

GASTROENTERITIS (Stomach Flu)

SYMPTOMS—Nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and muscle aches. Acute symptoms generally last only 24-72 hours.

CAUSES—Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. This includes both the stomach and intestines.

It is usually caused by viral (sometimes bacterial) infection, allergies, stress, chemical irritation, or medicinal drugs. Antibiotics are a frequent cause, and weaken the body so the virus can attack.

This disease is contagious, so be careful. Wash hands frequently, sterilize cloths, etc.

TREATMENT—

• Begin by giving the person activated charcoal: Each dose should be 4 capsules, 8 tablets, or 1-2 tbsp. of powder, stirred into a glass of water. Give a dose each time there is vomiting or diarrheal stools.

• Keep him in bed and give a clear liquid diet during the acute stage while there is nausea and vomiting. Throughout the day give small amounts of water, fruit juices, or ice chips, to help restore lost fluid.

• Do not give junk beverages (colas, black tea, coffee, or alcohol), for they will only irritate and intensify the symptoms.

• When vomiting and diarrhea cease, give small amounts of non-irritating food, such as cooked rice, plain cooked potatoes, cooked carrots, bananas, or apple sauce.

• Avoid processed and greasy foods; avoid milk and high-roughage foods.

• Do not be quick to let him up from bed, for the vomiting and loss of fluids may have weakened him.

• Especially in small children and infants, watch for signs of dehydration. These signs include drowsiness, rapid respiration, and dry skin and mucous membranes. This is important.

• Mix 1 tsp. of catnip tea leaves in a cup of water, steep for 15 minutes, and drink while warm. This is very soothing to the digestive system. If it is vomited up, give again immediately; it is more likely to be accepted and kept down the second time.

• If fluids cannot be kept down, then give small saline enemas, to replace lost body fluids. Using 1 level tsp. of salt per pint of water, inject 1-2 oz of the solution into the rectum (using a small rubber bulb syringe). Then hold the buttocks together for several minutes. Do this every 1-2 hours until improvement is seen, and he is able to take fluids by mouth.

—Also see "Chronic Gastritis."

ENCOURAGEMENT—God has a heaven full of blessings that He wants to bestow on those who are earnestly seeking for that help which the Lord alone can give.

CHRONIC GASTRITIS (J.H. Kellogg, M.D., Formulas)

AVOID CAUSES—such as mustard; pepper; vinegar, strong acids; even acid fruits; sugar; preserves; cheese; alcoholic beverages; tea and coffee; all indigestible and irritating substances; coarse vegetables; pickles; confectionery; and hasty eating.

PHYSIOLOGICAL REST—Avoid the use of fish, fowl, game, and all flesh foods which excite the secretion of HCl (hydrochloric acid) and remain long in the stomach. Coarse vegetables; fried foods; fats, except in a natural emulsified condition; large meals; tea; coffee; wines; and all liquors are to be avoided.

INCREASE GENERAL VITAL RESISTANCE—Graduated Cold Baths, twice daily.

COMBAT LOCAL CONGESTION—Fomentation over stomach area, 3 times daily, 15 minutes at a time. During intervals between, apply Heating Compress over it. Hot Leg Pack, followed by Heating Compress to the legs; Revulsive Douche to the legs; Hot Leg Bath, followed by Cold Friction to legs. In acute stages, withhold all food and rest in bed.

MUCOUS VOMITING IN THE MORNING—Omit the evening meal. Fomentation over stomach in evening, followed by Heating Compress, to be worn during the night.

VOMITING SOON AFTER EATING—Hot and Cold Compress over stomach or apply a Hot Trunk Pack half an hour before eating, to be retained for 2 hours; dry food in small quantities; rest in bed after eating; Ice Bag to spine after eating.

GASEOUS ERUCTATIONS—Dry diet of well-cooked grains; Cold Compress; Heating Compress over stomach at 60⁰ F., changing every 4 hours. Massage for half an hour, 2 hours after eating, if local irritation or tenderness does not contraindicate. Drink a pint of hot water half an hour before eating. Avoid use of vegetables or of vegetables and fruits at same meal.

ABDOMINAL TYMPANITES—Heating Compress to Abdomen at 60⁰ F., changed every 4 hours; Colonic 2-3 times a week, at 70⁰ F.

CONSTIPATION—Graduated Cold Enema at 70⁰ F., daily. Abdominal massage; Hot Abdominal Pack; Cold fan Douche to abdomen for 20 seconds; Cold Rubbing Sitz Bath.

LIVER CONGESTION—Fomentation over liver, twice daily; during the interval between, apply a continuous Heating Compress.

EMACIATION—Rest in bed; mild Tonic Frictions, carefully graduated. Ice Bag over stomach, half an hour before eating.

PAIN IN STOMACH—Revulsive Compress over stomach and intestines; repeat several times daily if necessary. Avoid acid fruits, very hot foods, very cold foods, and concentrated sweets, if they cause pain.

—Also see "Gastroenteritis."

PEPTIC ULCER—1 (Gastric Ulcer, Stomach Ulcer; Duodenal Ulcer)

SYMPTOMS—Chronic burning or gnawing stomach pain, which often begins 45-60 minutes after finishing a meal or at night. Drinking a large glass of water or eating food relieves it. Vomiting or swallowing something quite alkaline also does. The pain sometimes awakens the person at 1 or 2 a.m.

Pain just beneath the breastbone is a frequent symptom of an ulcer. Sometimes it radiates to the back. The pain is often considered to be heartburn or an empty stomach.

Other symptoms may include headaches, a choking sensation, lower back pain, itching, and possible vomiting.

CAUSES—Gastric ulcers are peptic ulcers occurring in the stomach. Duodenal ulcers are peptic ulcers occurring in the top part of the small intestine. However causes and treatment are essentially the same.

These ulcers can be caused by wrong food or too much food. They can also be induced by severe nervous and mental stress.

The walls of the stomach pour a powerful acid into the stomach (hydrochloric acid, or HCl). This powerful fluid is needed to digest protein. Although the walls of the stomach are protein, they are not normally disturbed by the fluid. But when there are problems with people or with the food—then trouble can begin.

The stomach acids begin digesting the walls of the stomach, because too much HCl is being produced; protective mucous, in order to protect the walls, is not being produced; or both.

These ulcers can occur in the esophagus, but generally occur in the stomach or small intestine.

Gastric ulcers (peptic ulcers in the stomach) occur 2½ times more often in men than in women, most frequently in the 40-55 age group.

Duodenal ulcers (peptic ulcers in the small intestine) occur in the first 11 inches of the small intestine, and are caused by excess HCl from the stomach. These ulcers are found in men 4 times as often as in women, and most frequently between 25 and 40 years of age. Duodenal ulcers occur 10 times more often than gastric ulcers. As much as 15% of the U.S. population have ulcers, but only about half are diagnosed. Some are not discovered until the person begins vomiting blood. Ulcers especially occur during the spring and fall, and tend to run in families.

Many factors affect stomach-acid secretion. Stress and anxiety increase it. Aspirin, steroids, anti-inflammatory drugs, and smoking—all increase HCl production.

When you have stomach pain, drink some lemon juice. If the pain gets worse, you have too much acid in your stomach.

Hypoglycemics tend to produce too much HCl and are in danger of eventually having a peptic ulcer.

If you vomit blood or have "coffee-ground" stools, then the ulcer is bleeding. You are in danger of bleeding to death—go to a hospital immediately.

TREATMENT—

• For rapid pain relief, drink a large glass of water. It dilutes the stomach acids and flushes them out.

• Avoid all situations resulting in tension, stress, irritability, nervous strain, anger, or fear. Complete rest and relaxation from pressing problems and worries is needed.

• Do not eat fried foods, tea, caffeine products, salt, chocolate, animal fats, strong spices or soft drinks. Do not drink cow's milk. Do not smoke (if you do, do not expect the ulcer to heal properly).

• A diet high in sugar increases HCl production. White bread also causes more HCl to be made.

• In earlier years the recommended treatment included frequent feedings, milk intake, and a bland diet. But this approach is being discarded.

• It is now known that the calcium in milk only stimulates acid production rather than decreasing it, as was taught for years. (Milk does initially neutralize HCl, but the calcium triggers gastrin, which causes the walls to excrete more HCl.)

• In addition, it is now known that sipping milk and cream can lead to myocardial infarcts (heart attacks). The problem seems to be the butter fat in the sippy diet.

• The bland diet approach is also being discarded because those foods neither relieve pain nor speed healing. So, instead, eat whatever good food works best for you.

• Potatoes are very helpful. They are soothing and have an alkaline reaction.

• Vitamin U is the anti-ulcer vitamin. It is specifically for peptic ulcers. Raw cabbage juice and alfalfa have the most. Boiling destroys this anti-ulcer factor, and wilted cabbage contains less vitamin U. Drink fresh, raw cabbage juice immediately after juicing.

• Eat plenty of dark green leafy vegetables. If symptoms are severe, eat soft foods (potatoes, squash, bananas, yams, etc.) Put other vegetables through a blender.

• If you have a bleeding ulcer, add some psyllium seed to the food.

• Well-cooked white rice and millet are good.

• Eat several small meals.

• Do not eat between meals. Doing so slows emptying of the stomach, and thereby increases HCl amounts in the stomach.

• Chew food slowly and properly.

• Also helpful are flax, German chamomile, licorice, catnip, bayberry, goldenseal, hops, valerian, and myrrh.

• Exercise neutralizes stress. Maintain a daily program of out-of-door exercise.

• Make sure the bowels move daily or take cleansing enemas.

• Do not take antacids or painkillers, such as aspirin. That only increases the problem. The calcium carbonate in the antacids doubles the amount of HCl production. The aspirin causes the stomach to bleed!

• Do not use medicinal drugs.

• For peptic ulcer pain, apply an ice bag to the abdomen just above the navel. Or place it on the spine between the shoulder blades.

—Also see "Peptic Ulcer—2."

ENCOURAGEMENT—God fixes no limit to the advancement His children can make, if they will but surrender their lives to His guidance, study, and obey His Inspired Writings.

PEPTIC ULCER—2 (J.H. Kellogg, M.D., Formulas)

DIETETIC CONSIDERATIONS—Rest in bed; rectal feeding for 2 weeks if necessary, repeating after a few days if needed. Bland aseptic liquid diet; avoid solid food, condiments, flesh foods.

GENERAL CARE—Revulsive Compress, 3 times a day; Heating Compress during intervals between; hot Fomentation or Hot Douche to spine.

PAIN—Revulsive Compress, Fomentation over stomach; heat to spine, Hot Blanket Pack to hips and legs.

VOMITING—Ice pills, distilled water.

HEMORRHAGE—Rest in bed, Ice Bag over stomach, Hot Hip and Leg Pack. Withhold foods and drink from stomach by administering water and food by Enema.

—Also see "Peptic Ulcer—1."

# STOMACH-ACID SELF TEST

STOMACH-ACID TEST—Is your hydrochloric acid (HCl) production low or high? You have a stomach ache, but is it caused by too little HCl, or too much?

1 - When you have the stomach pain, take a tbsp. of lemon juice. If this makes the pain leave, you probably have too little stomach acid, not too much. If it makes your symptoms worse, then you have an overacid stomach.

2 - Do you crave sour foods, such as citrus and sauerkraut? Do you like grapefruit juice? If you do, and they set well on your stomach, then you are underacid. If you do not like acid foods, then you may be overacid. If it does not matter, you are probably normal.

ENCOURAGEMENT—Those who make God their strength, realize their own weakness—and God supplies them daily with the help they need.This help is for you, just now, as you come to Him.